South Nation

South Nation Conservation is working with the Port of Johnstown to complete a fish habitat creation project along the St. Lawrence River. Work is underway to expand a wetland in Johnstown Bay into a larger, more beneficial area for fish.

“The Port is drawing on our expertise from similar fish habitat projects to ensure the project is successful and cost effective,” says Michelle Cavanagh, SNC Fish and Wildlife Resource Technician.

January 10, 2014 – SOUTH NATION WATERSHED – South Nation Conservation cautions that watercourses are expected to rise over the next few days due to above-freezing temperatures and rainfall.

Environment Canada forecasts above-freezing temperatures and rain for the next three days. The forecasted weather will cause snow to melt and runoff to watercourses, which will increase river levels and flows throughout the South Nation watershed.  Ice covering larger water courses may become unstable due to increased water levels.

December 16, 2013—Eastern Ontario's forests help filter the air we breathe; protect the water we drink; provide habitat for abundant wildlife; and supply us with valuable wood products. Recent trends in extensive forest-cover loss aren’t going unnoticed by local residents who are calling attention to the issue in newspapers. If left unchecked, this downturn in forest cover will directly impact the natural benefits that the watershed depends on.

Whether you visit a retail lot, or treasure an annual visit to a choose-and-cut farm, you will enjoy knowing that natural Christmas trees are the most environmentally-friendly crop around. More than 500 Ontario farmers supply us with Balsam and Fraser fir and white spruce this time of year. Every tree in Eastern Ontario comes from a crop tree farm, which are created specifically for Christmas trees. For every tree that is cut, there are ten more ready to take its place.

GivingTuesday is a day when charities, businesses, and individuals come together to celebrate giving. When you donate to South Nation Conservation, you help provide critical financing to projects designed to protect and restore a healthy watershed. Making a financial donation to SNC can be done here. Thank you for your participation.

November 29, 2013

Some 25 outdoor enthusiasts gathered recently at Two Creeks Forest Conservation Area to celebrate final implementation of improvement projects provided under the Great Lakes Community Guardian Fund.

The $25,000 GLGF grant permitted upgrading part of he four km hiking trail that runs through the Morrisburg area site operated by South Nation Conservation, installation of interpretive signage, and publication of a self-guided brochure.

Have you seen an American Eel lately?

If so, South Nation Conservation wants to hear about it! Once plentiful in the South Nation watershed and throughout this part of the province, it’s estimated the eel population has declined by more than 90 per cent.

The reasons are many, said Naomi Langlois-Anderson, SNC Senior Fish & Wildlife Technician, who’s collecting anecdotal information about eels. They include man-made dams and weirs, over-fishing, pollution and parasites.

While the words technology and wilderness are often at odds, SNC is introducing QR codes at Two Creeks Conservation Area in Iroquois. We have installed visitor signage that incorporates Quick Response (QR) codes—a type of barcode that can be scanned by a smart phone.

Located throughout the 4 km trail, signs with QR codes give visitors instant access to digital information at nine points of interest, including what species can be found on site. A cell signal is available all throughout the trail.

SNC mitigates property damages and public safety risks by mapping lands that flood. SNC is entering a five-year plan to update flood risk mapping in the City of Ottawa. Staff are surveying watercourses with existing and future development pressures along Greys Creek McCooye Creek, and the Cassidy Municipal drain in Osgoode Ward. We gather elevation data, bridge measurements, and previous flood damage to build a computer model that calculates flows during floods.